In recent years, biographical movies have been in vogue, and it seems that their revolution is not yet over, as they continue to be a trend in Netflix‘s catalog. “The Catcher Was a Spy” is one such film.
The production, based on the life of baseball player and spy Moe Berg, has regained popularity among American users, securing the 10th position within the United States’ Top, according to Flix Patrol.
Released in 2018, the story was directed by Ben Lewin and written by Robert Rodat with Nicholas Dawidoff, the author of the book “Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg”, on which the plot is based.
The Catcher Was a Spy ranked No. 10 on Netflix US
As it happens daily, Netflix has once again updated its ranking of the most-watched movies in the United States, and now it’s a biographical drama that has secured the tenth position. It’s “The Catcher Was a Spy“.
Paul Rudd and Sienna Miller in The Catcher Was a Spy. (Source: IMDb)
According to the platform-specialized site, Flix Patrol, the title has been accumulating views consistently over the days, and it was only expected to become one of the most popular in the catalog.
Currently, it is in the running to surpass other productions ahead of the biopic, such as The Re-Education of Molly Singer starring Britt Robertson and the comedy Horrible Bosses 2 featuring Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis, and Jennifer Aniston.
The plot follows the true story of Moe Berg, a Major League Baseball player who, during World War II, becomes a spy for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the CIA.
Berg is recruited by the United States government to determine whether German physicist Werner Heisenberg is close to building an atomic bomb for the Nazis. The narrative explores his double life as an athlete and a spy, revealing his intelligence and bravery in high-risk situations.
Paul Rudd portrays the main character and is joined by prominent figures such as Pierfrancesco Favino, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Strong, Connie Nielsen, Anna Geislerová, Shea Whigham, Sienna Miller and Bobby Schofield, among others.
What happened to Moe Berg?
The story of Moe Berg has fascinated many due to the unique combination of his skills in baseball and his role in intelligence during a crucial period of world history. His life has been the subject of books, documentaries, and, as mentioned earlier, the film The Catcher Was a Spy.
He was a notable figure in the history of baseball and intelligence during World War II, as after his career in sports, he became a spy. He played for various teams, including the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and Boston Red Sox.
Moe Berg in The Spy Behind Home Plate. (Source: IMDb)
Although not considered a star player, Berg was known for his intelligence and spoke multiple languages, including French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Sanskrit. During World War II, Berg joined the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the precursor to the CIA, due to his linguistic skills and education at Princeton and Columbia University.
see also
Netflix: "The ReEducation of Molly Singer" is now the No. 9 movie in the US
He was sent on missions to Europe and Asia to assess the German and Japanese nuclear threat. In a famous mission, he attended a scientific conference in Switzerland to determine the progress of the German nuclear program. Despite his diverse professions and success, Berg led a discreet life and never fully revealed his activities as a spy.
